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2Lt. Arthur Charles Langdon
British Army 15th Btn. Hampshire Regiment
from:Ryde, Isle of Wight
(d.27th Oct 1918)
Arthur Langdon joined the Hampshire Carabiniers in 1912. When this unit was absorbed into the 15th Btn. Hampshire Regiment in 1917 he became an infantryman. He served as a sergeant through 1917 on the Western Front and went with the battalion and the 41st Division to Italy. Returning to France just before the German Spring offensive. He fought with the rest of the 4th Army to secure the northern edge of the German salient around Arras.
In July he was sent for officer training and he returned as a battle casualty replacement in late September 1918. The Hampshires next fought at the crossing of the Schedlt Wall at Knokke, assaulting and taking the bridge at Knocke on the 21st October. On the 25th Oct 1918 the Hampshires continued the attack eastward probing for the retreating German army near Waffelstraat.
Leading the recces platoon at the point of the Hampshires advance which commenced at 4pm Arthur was shot through both legs by machine gun fire around some farm buildings on Waffelstraat. Fearing enemy mortar fire meant a counter attack his men hid him with Belgian civilians in a cupboard in the farm. On returning after the attack had been continued he was recovered unconscious and taken to No.64 CCS at Moorseele. He died at 8am on Sunday 27th 1918 and is buried in the CWG Cemetery there. His gallantry on the 21st October was to be recognised by an MC had he lived.
